


Happy T at Katip

by Essi_Magwayen



Series: Usapang Bote [1]
Category: Buhay Kolehiyo, SSU, Sexy Sexy Universities
Genre: ADMU, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ateneo de Manila University, Blue Eagles, De La Salle University, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Ed Sheeran - Freeform, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Green Archers, Light Angst, M/M, Neo has hangover regrets, Neo salle one shot, One Shot, Teasing, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, UST, University of the Philippines, csb, darating din ako sa smut hintayin niyo lang getting there, dlsu, mapua, more neo salle from me in a span of two days bec why tf not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2017-04-25
Packaged: 2018-10-23 19:51:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10726068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Essi_Magwayen/pseuds/Essi_Magwayen
Summary: "It's the least I can have if I can't have you.""What makes you think you can't have me?"Salle goes on a Happy T. Neo is invited. Cessie gets the eagle drunk. Salle becomes a nanny and takes him back to Katip.





	Happy T at Katip

**Author's Note:**

> This is a bi-lingual fic; English/Filipino. So let your Filipino friend help you translate!
> 
> ALL CHARACTERS OWNED BY [SEXY SEXY UNIVERSITIES](https://www.facebook.com/sexysexyuniversities/) and their webcomics, BUHAY KOLEHIYO.  
> Check them out. They're awesome.
> 
> Salle is sometimes a fuccboi, except for Neo maybe. Neo is a sweet summer child but pakipot in a sense.  
> And with that in mind, click [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv2rLZmbPMA) before reading, honestly. Like... please.
> 
> UPDATE:  
> So the mother of the NeoSalle ship just drew a [SCENE](https://www.facebook.com/sexysexyuniversities/photos/a.1875383206030625.1073741828.1760706184164995/1931026853799593/?type=3&theater) from this fic AND I FELT LIKE I was blessed by the hands of the Goddess herself. THANK YOU MOD A-SENPAI!!

 

 

 

 

            “That’s not healthy.”

The man being spoken to snickered as he slowly pulled the end of the cigarette held between his fore and middle fingers to his lips, never taking his eyes off the man who spoke and gracefully stepped into his view.

It was another crowded Thursday at _Plato,_ the air was hot, dense and was fuming with mixed scents of vices. One intake of breath would fill one’s nose of bittersweet alcohol emanating from the surrounding tables, spilled drinks and drenched in the stench clinging on to intoxicated drinkers’ clothing. Another breath and one would catch the sweet scents coming from various vape machines, but soon would seep in the bitter and stinging fumes of cigarettes. Just like the one Salle was holding.

He had taken a break from his crowd of drinkers, his crowd, being the regular people he went with to these places during Thursdays and found a less crowded area to take a breath. Salle was seated at the edge of the elevated platform of _Plato_ ’s bar located at an open area. He was facing the less crowded street of Leon Guinto with drunks losing balance, shouting and some even vomiting. Salle scrunched his nose at this sight. His back was to the loud beats, clinking of glasses and chatter of tonight’s end-of-school-week celebration. Salle sat with his legs casually open, stretching his tight, white chinos paired with a plain black shirt, finished with an all-black pair of Nikes. His jet black hair had been slicked back, as it usually was and the only thing missing was his jersey jacket where he wore his university loud and proud. He left it at the table; the air was too dense that wearing a jacket at this time, despite the attempt to look more edgy, was utterly ridiculous.

It was here where Neo found him lighting his cigarette. Neo stepped into Salle’s view and stood himself in between the other’s legs, not exactly touching, but close enough for both to feel the other’s warmth. Salle drew in from the cig, looking up at Neo with dark eyes as the other towered him. Salle felt a certain satisfaction in these seldom occurrences where he didn’t have to look down on Neo. The man standing kept a calm gaze back, with his arms loosely crossed as he watched the other in silence. Their faces a few more inches apart than both would like. Salle blew out the hefty amount of smoke directly at Neo’s face, to which the other snaps to his head to the side, rather irritated, his eyebrows knitted. Salle chuckled.

            “Rude,” Neo muttered when the smoke lifted, and turned his head back to the other. Their eyes met again and the eyes of the other seemed to have gone darker, nearly matching the black of his shirt.

            “I don’t really plan on being good tonight.” Salle answered in a low and sultry voice. Neo’s breath barely hitched. Salle chuckled again, taking in the man in front of him. A light-blue, collared, button-down shirt, buttoned up to its top, wrapping up tight, concealing the rest of Neo’s neck, was a perfect fit that hugged his lean frame, with his sleeves properly folded up to his forearms. His shirt was still neatly tucked under his tight fitting jeans, which was a shade darker than the normal navy blue and was held up by a simple brown belt. His look was finished with brown dress shoes. He looked way too overdressed for a casual night of drinking, and way too blue in the green territory. Despite this, Salle took him in thinking the other’s outfit seemed to constrain movement or breathing, and that he should do something about it. Though he did admire how Neo still looked fresh like he didn't attend classes the whole day and ridden two trains just to get to where he was now. He was a miracle sometimes.

Neo placed a knuckle under Salle’s chin and pushed it up as he had been staring in silence too long at Neo’s lower half. When their eyes met again, Salle snickered without a hint of guilt. Neo stepped closer, placing his hand on Salle’s upper arm and slowly trickled his fingers down, feeling the sudden tension in Salle’s bicep and reaching lower. Suddenly the air was hotter and Salle started to feel the heat where Neo’s hand travelled down his arm and it was his time to hitch his breath, but still maintained composed as he gazed darkly into Neo’s eyes. Neo’s fingers travelled and stopped where the cig was trapped between Salle’s fingers and smoothly pulled the cig out of the other’s fingers with his own. He stepped back releasing the tension. Neo closed his eyes as he placed the cig between his lips and drew in a breath. Salle’s eyes never left him, steadily watching him. Neo turned his head to the side and blew out the smoke in that direction, avoiding Salle’s face. He rested his elbow, the one holding the cig, on his other arm as he turned back to Salle.

            “That’s how you do it.” Neo dictated.

Salle smirked at this man’s angelic features, with his soft and clear skin, practicing vices as he had just witnessed. It was like having the face of innocence even when it was clearly obvious they weren’t. “You’re in my territory, Neo, I can do whatever I want.”

            “Do me.” He answered softly.

Salle’s smirk was gone and he finally reached for Neo’s hip with one hand, curving it further until his palm reached the small of his back and pulled the man a little closer, their legs brushing, Salle closed his just a bit to add more contact. “I might actually will.” Salle whispered, all innocence gone from his eyes. Both their heart beats increased with anticipation.

            Then it was Neo who smirked at him, his eyes lighting up as if it were the devil’s.

            Salle continued to rub at the other's back as he said, “You’re not entirely sober, now, are you, Neo?” in the same sultry manner, and with Neo’s intoxicated state it sounded like silk to him.

            “And if I’m not?” Neo challenges.

            “Then,” Salle straightened and tightened his hold though his tone softened into concern and utmost care, like they hadn’t been flirting all night. “’ _Di kita hahayaang umuwi mag-isa_.” He swings his legs innocently on each side of the other man, beaming at him.

The now intoxicated Neo was more evident once he was called out. He seemed to have let go of his guard at being caught tipsy and let out a giggle, then covered his mouth over with his hand which held the cig. Salle held him in place, just in case he was more drunk than tipsy and fall out of balance. He took the cig out of the other’s fingers and pushed its other end to the cement next to his leg, killing it.

Neo stepped back once more, lifting the tension in their teasing, giving them both the space to breathe then held out a hand to Salle. The other took it willingly, smirking to himself at he how he had ridiculously wanted to do more, then and there.

            “ _Halika na_ ,” Neo pulled at him to stand. “ _Iniwan mo ‘ko ‘don, wala akong kilala._ ”

            “ _Halikan na?_ ” Salle let him be pulled, as Neo giggled again. “ _Pwede naman._ ”

            “You’re so lame.” He said in between a fit of giggles.

 _Lasheng ka na, gago._ Salle thought to himself, as he let go of Neo’s hand to place his own to the small of Neo’s back to guide him as they walked back. Neo leaned in, unable to control his giggling anymore.

            “ _Tsaka_ , _may kilala ka kaya_ ,” He said as he guided Neo through the group of bodies of other drunks, “ _maarte ka lang_.”

            “ _Hala_! I’m not _maarte kaya_!”

They soon reached their crowded table of five and Salle’s friends greeted him back. Sat in this table were Salle’s drinking friends, Jules, Kiel and Gio. With Gio was his girlfriend. Even Salle could admit this looked like a table of fuccbois and fuccgirls, including, Cessie. Well, being twins, not only did they share friends, but they also apparently shared the prejudices of the _“fuccboi-fuccgirl”_ status.

            “ _Sarap ba_?” asked one of Salle’s closest friends, named Jules, as Salle carefully sat a giggling Neo down, and with the same hand, knocked it at the back of Kiel’s head. “ _Aray_!”

            “ _Kuya Neo, lasing ka na ba_?” Asked Cessie, giggling.

            “I’m noooot,” with his face flushed, Neo slurred, placing his elbow on top of the table and resting his head above it, closed his eyes. Clearly his consciousness was already somewhere else. Salle kept his eye on the drunk and remained standing next to him, he then mindlessly ran his hands through the man’s soft, brown hair. It had become damp, yet it was still soothing, for both.

            “Aaaaaw, _softie ka pala Salle eh_.” Kiel reacted to his friend’s gesture, laughing to himself and tipping back his bottle to his lips.

            “ _Ikaw sasampalin din kita eh._ ” It was an honest threat.

            “Nooo! No to violence!” Neo slurred again and raised his arms to get in between Salle and his friends, unintentionally leaning on Salle.

         They all roared with laughter and Neo's face, from determination, melted into more uncontrolled giggles, laughing with them, or at himself. Salle simply snickered at this wreck before him, still carding through Neo’s hair.

            “ _Sino ba nag-painom dito_? _nawala lang ako saglit_?” He was met with a chorus of silence and eyes looking away from Salle’s. The boys glanced at each other in a secret conversation before all eyes landed on Cessie who was suddenly very interested in the beer bottle’s nutrition chart.

            “5% alcohol,” she muttered to herself nodding, before she realized all eyes were on her. She was being accused and she put down her bottle with a loud clink and displayed a shocked face. “ _Hala_! _Hindi kaya_!” Salle’s friends snickered as he glared at his twin, groaning.

            “It was Cessieeeee!” Neo suddenly sang loudly drawing out her name, ungracefully pointing at her and confirming it for Salle.

            “ _Kuya_ Neo _naman eh_!” Cessie pouted. Salle’s eyes rolled.

            “ _Humanda ka pag nag-inuman na kami ni Addie_.” he said, as he began to stir up Neo.

            “ _UY FOUL GAGO_!” Cessie exclaimed with actual hurt.

            “Language. _Sumbong kita kay mama_.”

            " _Kasi naman kuya_ ," Cessie started, crossing her arms, "keep an eye on your belongings, _huwag mong iniiwan nang basta, basta_."

            " _Oo nga. Lagi mo na lang ako iniiwan_." Neo slurred, though high-pitched, whining with a genuine pout. He looked up at Salle.

For a moment Salle felt attacked, mainly because it was half true, only half because he never really intended to leave Neo at any given moment, it was just the sticky situation of weighing in whether he should dive with both feet in. " _Hay nako ewan ko sayo_ , Cess," he dismissed.

When Salle was able to pull Neo up from his seat, the shorter man wrapped his arms around Salle’s neck, clinging to him with eyes closed, burying his face into his shoulder. Salle caught him by the waist and let his weight lean on him. “I’m taking the car. _Hatid ko na to_.” Before the two men fully walk away, Salle gathered his jacket and pointed to Cessie, “ _Umuwi ka na ha._ Jules?”

            “Yes boss.” Jules answered the non-existent question, and raised his bottle to Salle.

            “Bye kuya! _Wag ka nang umuwi_!” Cessie chimed with a wink.

~~~~

Salle replaces Neo’s frame against the side of his black M3, before he opened the passenger seat and bent in to throw his jacket at the backseat and began clearing out the passenger's area.

            Neo in his nearly lost haze, “Salle,” he started, whispering his name.

            “Mm?” he answered, still crouched under.

            “I’m sorry.”

            Salle immediately pulled himself from under the roof, with his eyebrows knitted. “ _Bakit_?” he said as he placed a hand on each of Neo’s side, resting it atop his car, almost wrapping the shorter in his arms. He was searching for answers in Neo’s dazed expression with full concern. Neo had his whole weight leaning on the car, his eyes were shut closed. He slowly opened them to look up to a pair of black eyes. Neo was pouting at him, again.

            “ _Kasi_ …” Neo moaned, sending unintended pleasures to Salle. “ _Naglasing ako._ ”

            Salle chuckled, relief washing over his face, he shook his head. “ _Ako nga dapat magsorry eh_.”

            “Why _naman_?”

            “ _May klase ka pa bukas diba_?” Salle reached for Neo’s cheek, caressing his palm on his soft skin. Neo leaned in. “ _Nakalimutan mo na_?”

            “Mm.” Neo groaned as an answer, and this sound was elongated, it grew deeper and suddenly he pushed at Salle’s chest and bent down, pouring out bile that was caught in his throat on the parking lot’s floor.

            Salle surprised, caught Neo by his arms to prevent him from planting face-first on his own vomit. “Neo!”

            Neo continued to empty himself out. The stench was filling Salle’s nose and he willed himself not to add to the pool beneath them. _If only I didn’t care for you so much, I’d have left you here_. He tightened his grip on Neo. Neo finally emptied himself, dizzied and quiet. Salle heaved him up again, trying his best not to lose both their balance. Neo let out another sigh and groaned in discomfort.

            “Okay, I accept your apology.” Salle said out loud to a half unconscious Neo. He finally swung the door on the passenger seat open and pulled Neo into his shoulder, the dribble of bile left on Neo's chin wiped across Salle's plain black shirt in the process. Salle again willed himself to ignore it and he finally sat Neo in the passenger seat. Salle crouched lower and closed in on the distance between their faces. He called him out softly, "Neo," trying to reach out to whatever consciousness was left. " _Wag kang sumuka sa loob ng kotse please_."

            "Mm." he received barely a nod.

            " _Seryosooo_."

            "Mmmm."

Salle sighed hopeless, getting out of the way to close the door softly. He skipped over the mess on the parking lot, thanking in prayer it happened outside his car. He strode over to the other side and got into the driver's seat. He turned the engine and then he finally acknowledged his vomit-stained shirt. He looked at it, then to the peacefully snoozing Neo who was facing him. Salle shook his head at him then sighed, at the back of his head he blamed Cessie for this mess. He noticed there was some bile left on Neo's chin. He moved to reach across him and opened the compartment in front of Neo, the fabric of their shirts grazing. Neo stirred. Salle pulled out two pieces from the tissue box and sat back down. He reached over, one palm carefully holding Neo's face, not wanting to wake him up; the other wiped off the mess with the tissue. Salle absentmindedly froze as he stared at Neo's peaceful face. He brushed his thumb across the other's cheek. His eyes glanced down at Neo's soft, pink lips. He didn't realize he had already leaned in, closing in on the inches that separated their faces. The space in the car seemed even more condensed. It was just the two of them. This was too intimate. Salle seemed to have forgotten how to move.

_No. He's drunk._

He thought to himself, stopping himself.

_And he just vomitted._

He added for good measure. Eyebrows knitted, he sighed in defeat, brushing his thumb across the other's cheek one last time before he slowly pulled away. He crumpled the tissue and threw it outside his window. He suddenly thought how if Neo was sober, he'd tell him to pick it up and throw it properly. He snickered.

With his attention back to cleaning himself up, he turned to look at the back seat to find his gym bag seated there. He took the hem of his shirt, but hesitated, looking at Neo. He still had his eyes closed. Salle huffed out to his hair and pulled the ruined shirt over his head, revealing his skin. He balled it and threw it at the back. Salle stretched out to the back seat to retrieve his gym bag, but pulling it to the front would create too much movement so he decided to lean almost half of his body to the back.

And Neo's consciousness returned at the perfect time, still dazed, he hazily lifted his lids to see a shirtless Salle whose face was out of sight. From Neo's view, he could take in the full arch of Salle's body; muscles taut, with the riffs of his abs tensing as he forced the stretch to reach back, Salle's broad shoulders that Neo had always been fond of. The entirety of his flesh seemed to glisten; the ac was not turned on to cool yet.  In his intoxicated blur, Neo gulped, heat rising to his cheeks. Images of their conversation while smoking earlier were recalled, so did the heat that pooled in his gut. The effect of alcohol didn't help. Neo mindlessly let out a small sigh of irritation, mostly to himself. Salle's body tensed.

Neo shot his eyes open when he realized he'd made a sound and then immediately shut it close. There was a hastened shuffling at the back, and Salle finally sat back in place, another black shirt in hand. He rolled it out and pulled it over his head quickly. After a beat he looked at Neo whose eyes were once again closed. Salle rolled his eyes and chuckled, fully aware of what Neo saw. He didn't mind really. Actually, he was quite pleased with the reaction. He put the car into gear and drove out the parking lot.

~~~~

They were already in Xavierville Ave when Neo woke up for the second time that night. The first thing he noticed was Salle’s humming. A few seconds later, as the ache in his head from waking subsided, he recognized the tune he was humming.

_“so let me know the truth, before I dive right into you…”_

Salle wasn’t singing, but Neo knew that song all too well. He's lost count on how many times he has replayed that song. He felt his chest tighten; he was suddenly aware of the night’s events, aware of how Salle has taken care of him drunk and drove him all the way here, aware of what might happened with the rest of the night, it started to boil the anxiety in him. But then he stopped his train of thought and immediately dismissed whatever angst was trying to creep up.

_"…do you have the tendency to lead some people on, cause I heard you do…”_

Neo audibly groaned again as he heard the lyrics from the radio and reached up from under a thick, warm, cloth to rub his eye. And only then did he realize there hadn’t been a thick, warm, cloth when he’d sat their earlier. Was there? He didn’t know. He looked down to see himself wrapped under a dark green and white jersey jacket, too big for his size. Neo’s frown deepened and he clutched to the fabric, and brought it up under his nose.

            “ _Susuka ka ba_?” Neo heard Salle say.

Neo set his eyes on the calm road. There was an absence of traffic at this time of the night. He glanced at the time, it read 11:52 PM. Neo sighed again as if it would help ease his headache, as he breathed in, he caught the scent of Salle than clung to his jacket. The scent of deep musk mixed with something mellow, balancing out each other. Then a question popped into his head, “ _Sinukahan ‘ko ba ‘to?_ ”

            “ _Hindi…_ ” he answered calmly, “Well _hindi_ pa. _Wag, please, favorite ko ‘yan_.”

Neo snickered at this.

            “Okay ka lang?” Salle asks, concerned.

            “Mm.”

            “ _Anong pakiramdam mo_?”

            “I’m okay, mom.” Neo dismissed mockingly.

They share a light laugh. Then there was silence. Neo wished it didn’t end, wished the drive went on, wished they didn’t already turn at Esteban St., wished they didn’t already stop in front of his building, wished that another night like this, full of opportunity for _that_ conversation he knew they both longed for, would not come to an end, and thus be wasted again.

Salle got out of the car first and once the door shut, Neo deeply sighed and unbuckled his seatbelt, he didn’t remember fastening it either. As he was about to reach for the handle, it had already been opened. He looked up to find Salle’s hand ready to assist him. Neo took it and got out of his seat, his right foot landed incorrectly and slightly lost balance. Of course Salle was already there to catch him as his face hit the other’s shoulder absorbing the light thud. He mumbled an apology.

            “ _Ano lasing ka pa rin_?” Salle teased.

            Neo pulled himself away. “ _Hindi, okay na ko._ ” He said flatly, making his way pass Salle, up the stairs to the lobby, not realizing he was still clutching on Salle’s jacket.

Salle watched Neo, seemingly affected with the sudden shift in Neo's mood. He turned to shut the door and the sound of a beep says he locked it. He followed Neo up the lobby. Neo only turned around, nearing the elevators, when he heard the lady at the front desk ask for an ID. He hadn’t realized Salle was following. He walked back to him.

            “ _Aakyat ka pa_?”

            “ _Oo. Ayaw mo ba_?” Salle asked genuinely, not a hint of flirtation like how he usually sounded.

Neo took a beat before silently turning back to the elevator. They slowly walked in silence, it wasn’t the calm kind of silence anymore, it was the silence that either of them was waiting for the other to break. They kept to themselves anyway as they made their way across the dimly-lit corridor. Neo stopped at his door and slid in his key. He left the door open for Salle and walked in, not bothering to open the lights. Neo flopped down on his bed, curling to his side, facing his headboard and hugged Salle’s jacket. He heard the door shut, and then kicked off his shoes. Suddenly the silence was even more deafening and the tension rising. As he closed his eyes, he felt the mattress dip behind him, and soon the warmth of another body was too close to his back.

Salle also lied down on his back, on Neo’s bed, with its owner next to him. He had his hands behind his head and tips of Neo’s hair brushed the underarm of the other. Salle turned his head to Neo.

            “Okay _ka lang_?” Salle whispered.

            Neo contemplated this. He didn't want to answer it, so he answered with another question. “Why are you still here, Salle?”

It seemed that Salle also didn't want to answer this and resorted to giving a suggestion which Neo wasn't even asking for.

            “I could leave if you want…” and Salle was dearly hoping Neo didn’t.

            Neo fell quiet. Of course he didn't, but he could never admit that to him. He buried his face into Salle's jacket. The other man assumed he’d picked up on it, when Neo didn’t answer. He sighed and bent up from the bed. He reached for Neo to pat his back, before standing up—

            “Where are you going?” Neo blurts out too quickly as he too bent up and actually turned to face the other.

            “ _Tangina labo mo ha_ ,”

            Neo’s eyes fell down. “Sorry,” he fiddled with his fingers, the cloth of Salle’s jacket in between them. Neo felt a knuckle slide under his chin and felt it push up gently. He was looking up at Salle now, just as how their situation had been earlier, except reversed, except now there was no pressure of a crowd, of the intoxication of liquid luck. It was just the two of them this time. It was intimate. Too intimate.

            “Last _na_ ,” Salle pushed, holding their gaze calmly, “okay _ka lang ba_?”

            Neo blinked at him. Slowly he nodded, more to convince himself than the other. He looked away again and Salle released his chin. “ _Late na_.” he stated, not as a simple fact.

            “Look Neo, just tell me if you want me to stay. I can’t read your mind.”

            Neo sighed, he hated having to ask for things or admitting things he really wanted. It couldn't be _that_ easy. He gave in anyway and nodded, with his eye still trained on the jacket.

            “ _Ingay-ingay mo kanina_ ,” He heard Salle say before he felt fingers brushing on his cheek and finding his hair, gently pushing his head back. Neo softened his eyes, his anxiety melting away. Why did he have to feel so weak everytime Salle touched him? They held their eyes together and this time there was a smile in Salle’s. It was contagious, Neo smiled back. Salle’s hand trickled down from his hair, to the back of his head, to his nape and suddenly both pair of fingers were brushing the side of his neck. Neo’s breath hitched and looked up the other with wide eyes. “Relax,” Salle snickered innocently. Salle’s fingers moved under Neo’s collar, only the sound of skin grazing on fabric was heard. Salle gently unfastened the first button and then the second without much thought. “Breathe,” Neo did so. “ _Di ka kasi nakakahinga sa damit mo kaya ka ganyan eh,_ ” Neo’s face was washed over with relief. He was right, his neck didn't feel so tight anymore. Everything was fine.

Salle stepped aside from Neo’s view and began stepping out of his shoes. He reached for his back pocket and pulled out his wallet, he did the same with his front, pulling out his phone and car keys. He placed all of them on Neo’s bedside table, as if it were his own.

Neo realized what Salle was doing and smiled to himself, satisfied. He stood up and pulled up the part of his shirt that was tucked from under his pants. Salle climbed into Neo’s bed on fours, taking the side adjacent to the wall, but he took a quick second as he caught Neo unfastening his belt, and one of his eyebrows went up, thinking for a split second. Neo caught this look and they suddenly their eyes met. Neo rushed, looking away and pulled his belt completely off, he also pulled out the contents of his pockets, placing it next to Salle’s. Salle snickered and finally laid back down on Neo’s bed, his back to the wall. Neo followed, lying next to him, his back to the other wall. He pulled the green jacket over him once more, over his head, hiding under it.

            Salle stared at him, smiling at the silliness of the other. “You can’t have that.” Salle teased, but with certainty.

            “It’s the least I can have if I can’t have you.” Neo said softly, quickly from under the jacket, like it wasn't meant to be said out loud. Neo silently cursed himself for not putting some thought in it. His chest started beating fast. He had just thrown it so casually, but he meant it and waiting for Salle’s response just made it worse.

Either way, they were both thankful they both didn’t see each other’s reaction.

            Salle was surprised too. Neo was probably just playing along, but still. Salle turned his eyes to the ceiling and began running his hand through his hair. He carefully thought about what to say. Was this it? Or... Was this just another harmless, thoughtless, casual banter? Salle didn't know anymore. He was taking too much time in silence. “What makes you think you can’t have me?” he said softly, without a hint of teasing. Enough teasing.

            Neo took a second, letting the other's words sink in. It sounded too genuine, too real. He slowly withdrew the fabric down and stopped it just above his nose. He saw Salle staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. There was another silence. This time it was easy, calm. Many things still left to be understood, yet they both decided to choose to understand the silence... for now.

            Salle blinked his eyes back to Neo. They gazed at each other quietly. Neo stared into Salle’s eyes. He didn’t seem too afraid to dive in them right now. Salle smiled, his whole face lighting up despite the darkness of the room. Salle reached for Neo again for the nth time that night. He brushed the cheek covered with the fabric of his jacket. Neo's eyes fluttered closed. He was so weak. Salle pulled the fabric down, revealing the rest of Neo's face. Neo opened his eyes and once again met the other's.

 _I like seeing your face._ Salle thought to himself, unable to say it out loud. He pulled his hand back to just admire Neo's face, trying to re-memorize it like he doesn't yet; his now half lidded eyes, his long lashes barely keeping apart, the tiny mole under his left eye. He wanted to say it, then and there; the words that had been at the brink of spilling from his lips for a long time.

 

            “You still have classes tomorrow.” he said instead, breaking the peaceful silence.

            Neo slowly nodded in agreement, the thought of the question didn't really register. He was suddenly aware that all this had to end soon. He wished soon never came. “What time will you be leaving?”

            “Early. I have a meeting at seven.”

            Neo’s eyes widened, the urgency of Salle's situation registering. The last he read the time, it was 12:46 AM and that seemed like thirty minutes ago, if they already spent that long in silence. And he had to be back in taft before seven!? The traffic! “Salle—” 

            “It’s fine.” Salle answered his non-vocalized concern.

            “Are you sure?”

            “ _Oo nga_. It’s okay. I’m okay.” Salle paused then added softly, “As long as you’re okay.”

            Neo’s sighed. “Whatever,” he muttered and turned his back on Salle to seem like a follow up on his sass, but really it was just to hide the heat in his cheeks, “m _atulog na nga tayo_ ,”

            “ _Sus_. _Kinilig ka lang eh_.” Salle snickered, contented and also turned, facing the other way.

Both unaware of the stupid smile plastered on the other's face. And at some point both were peacefully pulled into deep sleep with their hearts light. They both knew somehow this night was different from those other nights, but at the same time, it was all just the same. All questions still remained unanswered. Their best hope was that someday soon, hopefully, they’ll discover those answers in the most convenient time.

~~~~

The familiar alarm rang and Neo stirred in his sleep, groaning. It was nine in the morning if he hadn't slept through his first alarm yet and he had half an hour to class. He just hoped it was enough time to cure his hangover. Some coffee maybe.

And coffee just _may be_ the aroma which filled his unit. Neo pushed up from his bed and found his royal blue ADMU mug filled with black coffee on the bedside table where Salle's belongings had been some hours before. There was a note stuck to the mug.

            “Just give it back when we meet” it read.

_Give what back?_

Neo scratched his head, brows knitted in confusion and pulled on the fabric falling off his shoulder. He stopped and realized.

Salle left his favorite jacket.

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope Neo wears this jacket inside the campus. fuck the system.
> 
> THANK YOU FOR READING MY TRASH. I had to re-read that over and over bec tenses are fucking hard. Please let me know if I got anything in the grammar wrong!
> 
> Featured song is Ed Sheeran's Dive. 
> 
> Do you feel the pain?? BEC I DO. I CAN EVEN FEEL ED SHEERAN'S PAIN. So let's all dive into the hell that is shipping humanized philippine universities. fml im trash.
> 
>  
> 
> UPDATE:  
> I made a [part 2](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10785807) that is vaguely related, except that here, Salle is the one who's drunk.
> 
>  
> 
> ANYWAY, Let me know your reactions or comments! I just wanna hear all of ur opinions, so kausapin niyo ko mga mamsh wala akong frunds jk. Kung wala kayong account, follow me on twitter, @essi_mag!! (it used to be a fan account so ignore the lumang tweets LOL)
> 
> Salamat mga kaibigan!!


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